Anadarko to drill for oil, gas in Kenya from Dec 13

06 November 2012, Sweetcrude, NAIROBI – US oil company, Anadarko Petroleum, says it will begin drilling for oil and gas in Kenya with two probes.

The US independent will begin one of the two wells before the end of the year with the first spudding on 13 December, Reuters quoted Kenyan permanent energy secretary, Patrick Nyoike, as saying.

The wildcats, in Block L7 and Block L11a, will be drilled back to back, the news wire quoted Nyoike as saying.

“We are now preparing them to start the drilling. I guess next year … I’ll be talking about billions of barrels discovered in Kenya,” Nyoike said, rather optimistically.

Both of the blocks, which Anadarko operates, are in the Lam basin, along with its other operated blocks in the region, L5, L11b and L12. The US player holds a 45% stake in each with Total on 40% in each block and PTTEP company Cove Energy holding the remainder.

Anadarko had been expected to begin drilling before the end of this year but has not itself confirmed a date.